Through its RLV LEX-02 landing experiment, ISRO demonstrated the autonomous landing capability of RLV ‘Pushpak’. The winged vehicle was made to undertake more difficult manoeuvres with dispersions, correct both cross-range and downrange and land on the runway in a fully autonomous mode.
Bengaluru: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Friday successfully conducted the RLV LEX-02 landing experiment, in a significant demonstration of competence in the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) technology. The second in the series of landing experiments with the vehicle was conducted at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chitradurga at 7.10 am.
RLV-LEX-02 Experiment:
🇮🇳ISRO nails it again!🎯Pushpak (RLV-TD), the winged vehicle, landed autonomously with precision on the runway after being released from an off-nominal position.
🚁@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/IHNoSOUdRx
— ISRO (@isro) March 22, 2024
The RLV-LEX-02 demonstrated the autonomous landing capability of RLV, from off-nominal initial conditions at release from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter, from an altitude of 4.5 km. The winged vehicle, called Pushpak, was made to undertake more difficult manoeuvres with dispersions, correct both cross-range and downrange, and land on the runway in a fully autonomous mode, Isro said.
“After release at a distance of 4 km from the runway, Pushpak autonomously approached the runway along with cross-range corrections. It landed precisely on the runway and came to a halt using its brake parachute, landing gear brakes and nose wheel steering system,” Isro said.